Thursday 8 & Friday 9 May, 2025 | Ballina, NSW

APPLY HERE

The Art of Screen Directing: 2-Day Intensive with Industry Experts

Calling all directors! Are you ready to learn and finesse the ins and outs of directing for the screen from two renowned industry professionals? This exclusive 2-day Screen Directing Intensive offers a unique opportunity to take a deep dive into techniques and process with directors Sally Aitken (EVERY LITTLE THING) and Kim Mordaunt (BOY SWALLOWS UNIVERSE), both masters of their craft with extensive experience in film and television. They will each deliver a bespoke session on their areas of expertise – documentary and drama – and will guide you through the essential skills needed to bring your directorial vision to life.

What You’ll Learn:

  • The Director’s Craft: Examine the core responsibilities of a screen director, from pre-production to post-production, and how to make impactful decisions on set.
  • Working with Real Life Talent:  Learn how to shape interviews and get the best out of your subject matter.
  • Working with Actors: Gain valuable insight into directing authentic performances, shaping character development, and getting the best out of your cast.
  • Visual Storytelling: Learn to use camera angles, lighting, and composition to tell a compelling visual story that enhances your narrative.
  • Scene Blocking & Staging: Discover how to block and stage scenes with intention, making every movement and shot meaningful to the story.
  • Collaborative Filmmaking: Explore the importance of communication and collaboration between the director, crew, and talent to bring a vision to life cohesively.
  • Experience: Practical, hands-on exercises where you’ll receive immediate feedback from your tutor.

KEY INFORMATION

Thursday 8 & Friday 9 May, 2025
Ramada Hotel, Ballina, NSW
9:00am-5:00pm each day
Cost: $250 (including GST)

  • Applications open Tuesday, 18 March, 2025.
  • Applications close 5pm on Thursday 17 April, 2025 
  • Successful applicants will be notified by Thursday 24 April, 2025.
  • 10 places will be selectively allocated. 
  • To be eligible to apply for Screenworks’ 2-day Directing Intensive you must be a screen director living in regional NSW (definitions of regional areas can be found here)  with one of the following:
    • a short fiction drama or documentary film which has screened at a film festival, or
    • a fiction drama or documentary film that has screened publicly, or
    • experience directing a documentary or a television series drama or serial drama that has been broadcast, or
    • directed content that has had more than 10,000 views online
  • The 2-day intensive workshop will take place at the Ramada in Ballina, NSW on Thursday 8 and Friday 9 May. Participants will be required to book and pay for their own travel/accommodation. 
  • The cost to selected applicants is $250 inc GST.
  • After the workshop, the assessors will award one participant a ticket to Screenworks’ Regional to Global conference in Lennox Head (18-20 June, 2025) and guarantee a 1:1 meeting with one relevant guest speaker.  

Limited Spaces Available!
Entry to the Screenworks Directing Intensive is by application and is open to current Screenworks Members only. The 10 participants will be selected by a Screenworks panel and the directing tutors.

This is an exclusive opportunity to learn directly from the best. Secure your spot now and take the next step in your filmmaking journey.

APPLY NOW 

Guest Speakers:

SALLY AITKEN is a twice-Emmy® nominated director, writer and producer, known for visually arresting work characterised by sensitivity and humour. Sally has had two feature documentaries, premiere in competition at the Sundance Film Festival PLAYING WITH SHARKS (Sundance 2021, Disney+) billed as “extraordinary” “visually stunning, enthralling” and named by The Hollywood Reporter as one of the 15 best films of the year and EVERY LITTLE THING (Sundance, 2024) “a shimmering ode to humanity”. A third feature, “A Cinematic Life” premiered at the Cannes Film Festival where Sally was nominated for the Camera d’Or, and the accompanying 3-part series, STORIES OF AUSTRALIAN CINEMA nominated for an Emmy.

After many years working around the world as a sought-after creative Sally also teamed up with Aline Jacques in 2021 to form SAM Content, a creative production company with a mission to umbrella bold new projects and talent from the Pacific region. To date SAM Content has created and delivered INCONCEIVABLE (2021 SBS), DESIGNING A LEGACY (ABC), HUNT FOR THE FAMILY COURT KILLER (2023, Paramount+/Ch10) as well as the feature documentary on the beloved children’s group, HOT POTATO: THE STORY OF THE WIGGLES (SXSW Amazon Prime), a “must-watch” with reviewers “absolutely giddy” with the film’s “vivid and infectious joy”, “revealing insights” and “celebrating the uplifting power of friendship” “delivering surprises and tears”. 

Sally relishes great untold stories from around the world, for the world, and the company is actively collaborating with France, UK, Canada and USA in various international co-productions, as well as developing narrative series and one-offs. 

KIM MORDAUNT is a highly experienced director. THE ROCKET (Produced by Sylvia Wilczynski) Kim’s debut drama feature as writer/director, won over 45 awards, including ADG Best Director,  Best Original Screenplay at the AACTA and AWGIES, major awards at Berlin, Tribeca, American Film Institute, Sydney & Melbourne festivals and touring with Sundance Film Forward. It has 97% on Rotten Tomatoes and sold to over 40 countries. Kim directed on the 8×1 hour ABC drama series WAKEFIELD, which premiered to 5-star rave reviews, named “Best Australian Drama of 2021” by The Guardian and was nominated for 8 AACTA Awards including Best Drama Series and Kim as Best Director.  It sold to Showtime US.  Following this he directed on the ABC/NBC miniseries FIRES, EPs Belinda Chayko, Tony Ayres and Liz Watts. It received rave reviews and won the AACTA for Best Miniseries and the Silver Logie. Kim then directed on BOY SWALLOWS UNIVERSE produced by Brouhaha Entertainment for Netflix.  Produced by Andrew Mason and Troy Lum. EP’s Sophie Gardener and Joel Edgerton.  Reached number 1 on Netflix Australia, number 2 on Netflix US and UK, & number 3 globally with a 5-star review from the Sydney Morning Herald.  BOY SWALLOWS UNIVERSE won Best Mini Series at both the Logies and AACTAs.  Kim grew up in the Northern Rivers and has now moved back to the area. Kim’s mother was Indian Mauritian and his father English. His extended family are Fijian Indian, Indonesian, Chinese, English and Polish.

The Screenworks 2025 Directing Intensive is supported by the NSW Government through Screen NSW.